As I'm sure you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Critics have also called it "pink-tober" because of all the pink ribbons and other items that have been made pink for the month.

It is everywhere. Football players with bright pink gloves and shoes, rows of pink teddy bears, 5Ks and cupcake sales filled with folks in big pink T-shirts. (Heck, I'm selling PartyLite Glo-Jar candles this month with the promise of donations to the American Cancer Society. But this isn't an ad...) We've even gotten rather "blue" about Pink-tober, with "Save the Ta-tas" bumper stickers and shirts that cry out "feel your boobies."

This month is not without controversy. Last year, KFC raised money with their pink buckets, depsite the fact that fried food consumption has been linked to cancer. The incessant memes on Facebook, that started out innocently enough with women posting what color bra they were wearing until the posts were discussed in the evening news, took a disturbing turn when the "secret code" implied that participating women were pregnant. Sites like this one encourage people to examine the business practices of those companies celebrating Pink-tober.

So how do you feel about this month's campaigns?Are there specific companies you will or will not support because of their Pink-tober campaigns? Are you tired of it? Or does it really mean something to you, that you would be willing to share?

Replies

As a retired nurse and friend of several women who are brest cancer survivors and granddaughter to a 101 year old breast cancer survivor, I will strongly proclaim that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! As horrible as breast cancer is, it is largely treatable now and there are hundreds, if not thousands of other types of cancer and other diseases which are life threatening.

Furthermore this "Squeeze a boobie, save a life" and "I love boobies" campaign is crass, crude and classless. I believe it also undermines the seriousness of cancer.

I like it. It brings awareness to sumthin that has effected millions of lives. Its very important to me as my grandmother died from it and I have two aunts who have/have had it, one being terminal. I also have a friend who is going in on Wed to have a double mastectomy because they just found cancer in one of her breasts.

I think it's just a sick marketing ploy to take advantage of people's emotions some of who are survivors & some who have had family members hit by the big C. We aren't any better off than we were before the Susan G. Komen foundation painted the month pink

I didn't really think about until this last month my niece was diagnosed with bone cancer and it brought childhood cancer home to us. September was childhood cancer awareness month. How many people knew that? How many gold/yellow ribbons did you see? And not only that but the pink ribbons couldn't even wait until Oct. They started putting them out the last week of Sept.

I'm tired of it. Everyone goes pink and it starts in September. Where's the gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness month in September?? Where's the support for the kids 20% of who will be dead within 5 years? No one wants to think about that. No one wants to talk about the fact that only 1 new drug has been approved for my son since the 1960's. Most cancers patients think of treatment in terms of weeks or months, my son thinks in terms of years! 39 months straight of chemo without 1 day off unless he's too sick to continue. What about all the other cancers out there that get no support either?

KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES! DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Many times it doesn't go where you think it does. My grocery store was selling frito pies to "support breast cancer". After asking the manager where the money was going it was to buy t-shirts for the employees but they weren't telling that to the people giving money. ASK QUESTIONS! Did you know those "I LOVE BOOBIES" bracelets don't actually give money to breast cancer? Nope not any money at all. Pinkifcation month is all about corporations boosting their end of the year earnings and jumping on the bandwagon. If they really really cared they would donate the money reguardless...

I didn't really think about until this last month my niece was diagnosed with bone cancer and it brought childhood cancer home to us. September was childhood cancer awareness month. How many people knew that? How many gold/yellow ribbons did you see? And not only that but the pink ribbons couldn't even wait until Oct. They started putting them out the last week of Sept.

Yep! They can't even wait until October. It starts early September here. I have no problem making people feel uncomfortable when they ask me for money for breast cancer in September. I point blank ask them if they knew it was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and that I support kids like my son. It turns my stomach.

"Pink is my signature color"as they say in Steel Magnolias. I would like to find something in that shade of pink that doesn't have a pink ribbon on it; very difficult.I agree that there are other forms of cancer that deserve our attention. That being said, if you've ever had, known someone that had, or even had the scare (like I did two years ago), you would probably be very appreciative of all that pink, ribbons and all.

I agree. Only for me it is a month long reminder of how so much emphasis is put on one type of cancer. My mother died of Uterine cancer. Where is the support for the other cancers? Other cancer deaths in my family: Uncle- colon, Grandma- colon, Uncle- Brain (Yes I am a little bitter about it).

Quoting TwinSoccerMom:

I am thoroughly sick of it. I am glad that so many people are trying to help (although I am doubtful as to how much actually goes to research) but it is a month long reminder of how my mother died.

How very true! I for one hate pink. I mean really hate pink. So no, none of this pink crap gets my dollars. I like the groups that hands on help cancer survivors/sufferers or families of victims be it financially or emotionally. These people who waste funds or more likely fraudulently excepting funds are not my cup of tea.

Quoting romalove:

Much of the pink ribbon items you see have no real link to supporting breast cancer financially. A company can sell pink ribbon items for "support" of breast cancer and it can be a show of support as opposed to financial support for programs. Much of it is sold by mass market wholesalers.

If you want to help support breast cancer programs, you are better off directly donating to programs you know do good works.

I agree. Only for me it is a month long reminder of how so much emphasis is put on one type of cancer. My mother died of Uterine cancer. Where is the support for the other cancers? Other cancer deaths in my family: Uncle- colon, Grandma- colon, Uncle- Brain (Yes I am a little bitter about it).

Quoting TwinSoccerMom:

I am thoroughly sick of it. I am glad that so many people are trying to help (although I am doubtful as to how much actually goes to research) but it is a month long reminder of how my mother died.

If you are bitter I will be bitter right there with you. It's truely sickening how little other cancers get support ($$$) for research and treatment. SGK is ruthless and despicable how it targets and sues other charities and then the whole Planned Parenthood debacle. I will never knowingly or willingly give them another dime for the rest of my life.